Calls for regional dental care boost

A consumer health group is urging the Federal government to address the crisis in dental care in regional areas by allowing dental hygienists a greater scope for practice.

A campaign is being launched today by the Consumers Health Forum ahead of next week's Federal budget, highlighting the 650,000 people waiting for dental care across the country.

CEO Carol Bennett says it is an appalling statistic and one that could be reduced by taking some simple measures to get treatment for those who need it most and can least afford to pay.

"The government's own advisory committee has recommended that for regional areas, for instance, if you could expand the scope of practice for dental hygienists and therapists into doing some of the work that dentists would otherwise do at a lower cost, then, that may be one way of addressing it," she said.